As a long-time gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of lackluster titles that left me feeling disappointed and disillusioned. But some games have truly stood out as the worst of the worst.
The year 2024 hasn’t seen as many noteworthy game releases as the previous year, but it has given us some remarkable titles such as “Tekken 8,” “Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree,” “Helldivers 2,” and “Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.” However, there have also been disappointing games that ranged from dull and malfunctioning to poorly constructed and confusingly developed. Below is our list of the fifteen most disappointing games of 2024 thus far.
15. Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs
After the great reception of “Pac-Man 99,” it’s no surprise that Bandai Namco Entertainment wanted to create a new game. In “Chomp Champs,” players can not only navigate mazes but also consume opponents and their Ghosts, adding an extra layer of excitement. However, this game isn’t exactly a spiritual successor, but rather a revival of “PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle.” This title was released in November 2020 along with Google Stadia, unfortunately, both failed to gain traction.
After all these years, Chomp Champs still feels largely unchanged on other platforms, offering only cross-play as a new feature. The gameplay can be entertaining for a short while and the performance is reliable, but the overall product leaves much to be desired. Its disappointingly outdated user interface, absence of offline modes, uninspiring music, and dismal Ranked experience make Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs an easily forgettable game.
14. Graven
Today, it’s not uncommon to come across games known as “boomer shooters,” which offer a diverse and imaginative take on the genre. One such title that piqued my interest upon hearing about its early access release was Graven by Slipgate Ironworks, as a potential spiritual successor to Hexen. Admittedly, there were some unpolished areas, but with the promise of future Acts, I held onto hope for an even more impressive final product. Unfortunately, my expectations were not met.
Relying on save points rather than saving at will works well until you encounter tough challenges or broken puzzles that force you back, causing significant setbacks. The intriguing immersive simulation aspects fall short, the stamina system is too limiting, and enemy design is irritating. Add to that a multitude of bugs and glitches, some severe enough to hinder progress, and Graven doesn’t live up to its inspirational expectations.
13. Endless Ocean Luminous
After the release of “Endless Ocean: Adventures of the Deep” in 2009, “Endless Ocean Luminous” had the potential to provide a tranquil underwater exploration journey with educational elements. Regrettably, its emphasis is scattered, leading to an unsatisfying experience. The game does include a narrative, yet the advancement is frustrating because of the tedious scanning process that frequently interrupts the flow. Additionally, the unrealistic nature and subpar graphics detract from the overall enjoyment.
12. Alone in the Dark
The classic survival horror franchise’s attempt to transition into a new generation failed once again, resulting in a disappointing reboot by the developer. Sadly, this lacked appeal to fans and critics alike, leading to the developer’s closure soon after. Regrettably, the gameplay was underdeveloped, with clumsy combat and insufficient challenges making it more of an annoyance than an enhancement. Furthermore, numerous bugs in the audio department deterred players, while the intriguing premise was marred by subpar writing and acting from the lead cast.
11. Sker Ritual
Have you experienced “Maid of Sker” and thought, “I’d love a first-person shooter spin-off with multiplayer mode for this!” It’s unlikely that you have, but Capcom, known for its questionable Resident Evil multiplayer modes, went ahead and created “Sker Ritual.” This game takes inspiration from the round-based format of Call of Duty’s Zombies mode. However, it falls short in various areas, such as matchmaking, user interface, glitches, and disorganized visuals. To make matters worse, at launch, the host could keep their XP upon quitting while other players couldn’t, leading to a significant player base decline for “Sker Ritual.”
10. Outpost: Infinity Siege
Team Ranger’s “Outpost: Infinity Siege” combines the genres of tower defense and first-person shooter, offering potential for an exciting experience. The game starts off strongly, showcasing this intriguing hybrid despite its cheesy dialogue and far-fetched storyline. However, as rogue-like and extraction shooter elements are introduced, the gameplay becomes disjointed. The poor AI, uninspired map layouts, grind-heavy progression, and numerous bugs at launch further hinder enjoyment. Despite several updates and improvements since then, “Outpost: Infinity Siege” could benefit from a fundamental reevaluation of its core mechanics.
9. Die by The Blade
In addition to popular fighting games such as Tekken, Street Fighter, and Guilty Gear, there are other less known fighting titles worth exploring. However, Die by the Blade is not among them. Its mechanics significantly differ from those heavyweights, with complicated combos and sluggish movement akin to moving through treacle. The matches often reduce to simple guessing games, and the meager offerings beyond that, including no story mode or well-designed ranking system, lead to an unengaging experience.
8. Undead Inc.
In the past, I greatly enjoyed playing Ndemic Creations’ game, “Plague Inc.” on my mobile device. I had high expectations for “Undead Inc.” by Rightsized Games, believing it could evoke some nostalgia. Regrettably, it failed to deliver and lacked an engaging management experience. The game was plagued with numerous bugs, unimpressive content in terms of biomes and facilities, crashes, and a terrible interface. A promising concept about the darker aspects of pharmaceutical companies ended up struggling to stay afloat.
7. Winter Survival (Early Access)
Yes, Winter Survival is still in early access, yet it appears to be making numerous mistakes in its survival sandbox concept. The game world feels barren with limited activities, and the crafting interface seems unimpressive. The combat is problematic, focusing on precise strikes which can result in undesirable outcomes. Moreover, the frequent reminders about sleeping, eating, and drinking become irritating instead of immersive. The injury and trauma system holds promise, but the current implementation leaves much room for improvement regarding the game’s basics.
6. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Despite facing considerable criticism following its early demo presentation, you’d expect “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” to offer an appealing feature to win over players. Surprisingly, the initial storyline hours held my interest, despite the constant banter between each squad member, their commander Amanda Waller, the Rogues Gallery, brainwashed heroes – they just couldn’t keep quiet for more than a few minutes. However, when the Elseworlds aspect is introduced, the plot plummets downhill. The abysmal boss battles and monotonous open-world tasks only add to the disenchantment (although the gunplay was tolerable).
As a dedicated gamer, I’ve been following the hype surrounding “Kill the Justice League” from Warner Bros. Discovery with great anticipation. Given the success and recognition of their “Suicide Squad” franchise, I had high hopes for this new title. Yet, despite the marketing muscle behind it, the game didn’t live up to expectations, resulting in a significant revenue loss of around $200 million.
5. Skull and Bones
Is it possible that February would see the release of not just one but two long-development games, both of which failed to capture players’ interest? However, it’s important to note that nothing is certain when it comes to the development of a game like Skull and Bones, which was first announced at E3 2017 and has faced numerous challenges, including delays, reported reboots, leadership changes, and more.
It’s surprising how the game, “Skull and Bones,” ultimately saw the light of day…but the shock wears off once you start playing and encounter the monotonous tasks that make up the storyline. Most activities involved little more than sailing from one place to another, engaging in battles against ships or mythical creatures, and occasionally pillaging helpless victims. The rewards felt insignificant, while the pirate experience seemed hollow and devoid of soul. Sadly, “Skull and Bones” didn’t have the best chances to succeed, and watching it fail so disappointingly is disheartening.
4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants
In a nutshell, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants, which follows in the footsteps of Raw Thrills’ 2017 beat ’em up, initially appears unremarkable. However, upon closer inspection, it reveals some disappointing aspects. GameMill Entertainment, known for titles like The Walking Dead: Destinies and Skull Island: Rise of Kong, is involved in its development. While not as catastrophic as those games, it fails to deliver an enjoyable experience. The combat and movement are both flawed, the visuals lack excitement, and distinguishing between characters is a challenge. Even if these problems were addressed, the game’s meager content and limited replay value make it hard to justify another visit.
3. Bulletstorm VR
Well, let me tell you, I’ve been a dedicated gamer for over two decades now, and I’ve played my fair share of first-person shooters. I was absolutely thrilled when Bulletstorm was first announced, having loved the original. But boy, oh boy, were my expectations dashed when I tried the VR version!
If if weren’t already disappointing, numerous missions were eliminated entirely. Recall your attachment to Waggleton P. Tallylicker and the ability to manipulate it to cause chaos amongst foes? Eliminated. Sadly, not even the additional missions centered around Trishka could rectify the situation. Multiple patches were introduced to enhance the gameplay and reinstate the explicit content, but ultimately, it came too late and fell short of the mark.
2. Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator
As a fan, I’ve seen my share of ups and downs with Nacon’s game releases. Some have been real duds, like “Gangs of Sherwood” and “Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood.” But there have also been some real gems, such as “RoboCop: Rogue City” and “Session: Skate Sim.” Sadly, “Taxi Life” finds itself in the disappointing category for me. It’s yet another entry in Nacon’s questionable “Simulator” series.
The “simulation” aspect comes with its own set of challenges. For instance, the traffic and passengers display unrealistic actions, while pedestrians can be frustratingly oblivious, strolling in front of you even when the light is green. Additionally, limited steering wheel compatibility and subpar default controls add to the disappointment. The performance, despite being visually appealing, falls short of expectations. Developing any simulation game is a daunting task, but Taxi Life makes it seem like an insurmountable challenge.
1. Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash
Picture this: A few months following the climax of the Shibuya Incident in “Jujutsu Kaisen,” you have the opportunity to develop a video game based on this beloved series. Who better than Bandai Namco Entertainment, known for their successful adaptations of other shounen hits like “Naruto” and “Dragon Ball”? Sadly, what we’ve got here isn’t the anticipated “Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash.” Instead, it’s just a blatant money-grab, devoid of any substance or merit beyond capitalizing on the heightened popularity of the series.
The fighting in this game is extremely boring and disappointing, reaching new lows for any potential depth an arena fighter could offer. The balance is off-kilter, the graphics are unappealing, and the Story Mode fails to do justice to the first season and Jujutsu Kaisen 0. For those looking for enjoyment from online multiplayer, the poor netcode quickly dampens any hopes. Even devoted anime game fans may find themselves underwhelmed by Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash.
Read More
- JASMY PREDICTION. JASMY cryptocurrency
- Top gainers and losers
- LDO PREDICTION. LDO cryptocurrency
- DOP PREDICTION. DOP cryptocurrency
- KAI PREDICTION. KAI cryptocurrency
- SILLY PREDICTION. SILLY cryptocurrency
- LUNA PREDICTION. LUNA cryptocurrency
- BNB PREDICTION. BNB cryptocurrency
- NSBT/USD
- SG PREDICTION. SG cryptocurrency
2024-07-17 18:43